Piccolo bass
From AudioLexic
Piccolo bass can refer to two string instruments, one acoustic and one electric.
[edit] Acoustic piccolo bass
The acoustic piccolo bass is an instrument similar to the double bass, but with a range exactly one octave higher. It is featured on Henry Threadgill's 1979 album X-75 Volume 1, played by Brian Smith. Ron Carter uses a piccolo bass that he tunes a fourth higher than a normal double bass (low to high: A-D-G-C).[1]
[edit] Electric piccolo bass
The electric is a string instrument very similar to a four stringed electric bass guitar, but usually tuned one whole octave higher than a normal bass. This results in the lowest note from a piccolo bass usually being equal to the E found on the seventh fret of the A string on a standard bass. To allow such an uptuning, there are two options. Either the strings can be thinner, or the length of the neck (the scale) can be shorter. The first option is the most common, and several companies manufacture piccolo sets that can be put on any regular bass, thereby converting any bass into a piccolo bass. Because of the thinner strings, a new nut may be required to hold the strings. Some people prefer a slightly shorter scale, such as 30" or occasionally even 28". Others criticize this idea, claiming that the long scale creates the tone that differentiates the sound of a piccolo bass from a guitar. (A longer scale length generally increases the presence of the fundamental note.) The tuning does vary with the personal tastes of the artist, as does the number of strings. Joey DeMaio from the heavy metal band Manowar has been known to play with 8 strings on his piccolo bass.
The instrument was created to allow experienced bass players to work out melodies parts and chordal textures with more artistic freedom. In this same line of freedom, it is possible to use a synthesizer to change the sound of the piccolo bass, making it into a keyboard sound, a lead guitar sound and even various flute and horn sounds.
| This article was started using a Wikipedia bass article |